Ursula McCloy - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Ursula McCloy

Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education, 2015

Immigrant families come to Canada with high education levels, with the Greater Toronto Area a pri... more Immigrant families come to Canada with high education levels, with the Greater Toronto Area a primary destination. This study will investigate the pathways of immigrant youth at a large multi-cultural Toronto college through their English language skill development and integration into postsecondary education and the labour market.

The effects of feeding breastmilk (BM), commercial formulas (F), or evaporated milk formula (EM) ... more The effects of feeding breastmilk (BM), commercial formulas (F), or evaporated milk formula (EM) on growth, thiamin status, erythrocyte phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) fatty acid composition and visual acuity in 100 healthy full term infants were determined. Growth, thiamin status, and erythrocyte PE fatty acid composition was determined at birth, 3, and 6 months of age. Thiamin status was assessed by determining the erythrocyte transketolase activity (TKA) and the fatty acid composition of milk and blood was determined by gas-liquid-chromatography. Preferential looking acuity was assessed at 3 and 6 months of age using the acuity card procedure. -- There were no significant differences in weight, length, or head circumference between any feeding groups. However, daily weight gain between three and six months was significantly lower for the BM group (weight gain: ﻌ ± SD, BM 15.5 ± 4.0 g, F= 20.4 ± 5.8 g, EM = 20.2 ± 6.8 g, p < 0.05). As well, breastfed infants had slightly lower he...

The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2006

Evidence-based practice guidelines for aggressive nutritional intervention by using parenteral am... more Evidence-based practice guidelines for aggressive nutritional intervention by using parenteral amino acids (AAs) and minimal enteral feeding (MEF) as early as the first day of life have not been tested for benefits to bone mass. We investigated whether early introduction of parenteral AAs and MEF improves growth and bone mass achieved by term age in infants born prematurely. Twenty-seven infants who were < or = 1200 g and < or = 32 wk gestation at birth were randomly assigned by using a 2 x 2 design to treatment of either 1 g AAs/kg within the first 24 h or 12 mL MEF x kg(-1) x d(-1) within the first 72 h of life. Nutrition and growth were documented during hospitalization, and bone mineral content (BMC) of lumbar spine 1-4, femur, and whole body was measured at term age. Biomarkers of bone metabolism were measured at weeks 1, 3, and 5 and at discharge. Statistical analysis was conducted by using 2 x 2 analysis of variance for intent to treat and for infants receiving protocol...

Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de santé publique

In parts of Canada including Newfoundland and Labrador and among Aboriginal peoples, infants stil... more In parts of Canada including Newfoundland and Labrador and among Aboriginal peoples, infants still consume evaporated milk (EM) formulas for cultural and economic reasons. At 3 and 6 months, full-term infants fed EM (n = 30) received low intakes of iron, thiamine, selenium and had higher weight velocity than breastfed (BF, n = 29) infants. EM infants had greater anemia, lowered transketolase activity (thiamine) and lowered glutathione peroxidase (selenium) activity (p < 0.05). To determine the later effect of early feeding deficit on nutritional status, we examined these same infants at 18 months of age. At that time, there were no differences in dietary intakes of energy, protein, zinc, copper, selenium and iron, nor in plasma levels of zinc, copper, vitamin C, nor in red blood cell activity levels of glutathione reductase (riboflavin), transketolase, glutathione peroxidase, nor in superoxide dismutase. However, EM infants weighed more and were more likely to visit a physician, ...

Pediatric Research, 2005

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC PUFA) are associated with bone mass in animals and hum... more Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC PUFA) are associated with bone mass in animals and human adults, yet no data exist for human infants. Thus, the objective of this study was to establish that LC PUFA status is associated with bone mass in healthy infants. Thirty mother-infant pairs were studied for LC PUFA status by measuring maternal and cord blood red blood cells (RBC) for arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and DHA. Infant anthropometry and lumbar spine 1-4, femur and whole-body bone mineral content (BMC) were measured within 15 d of delivery. Maternal and infant LC PUFA were tested for their relationship to BMC using Pearson correlation and backward step-wise regression analyses. At birth, the average gestational age was 39.3 Ϯ 1.1 wk and body weight was 3433 Ϯ 430 g. Cord RBC AA was positively correlated with whole-body BMC, AA:EPA positively correlated with lumbar spine 1-4 BMC and femur BMC. Maternal RBC AA was positively correlated with whole-body BMC. After accounting for infant weight using regression, whole-body BMC was positively predicted by cord RBC AA but none of the maternal LC PUFA; lumbar spine 1-4 BMC was positively predicted by cord RBCAA:EPA ratio but negatively by maternal DHA; and femur BMC was not predicted by cord LC PUFA but was negatively predicted by maternal DHA. Imbalances among the n-6 and n-3 LC PUFA by term gestation are associated with lower bone mass, suggesting that the maternal diet should be balanced in n-6 and n-3 LC PUFA.

Lipids, 2003

We summarize here the evidence indicating that carbon from alpha-linolenate and linoleate is read... more We summarize here the evidence indicating that carbon from alpha-linolenate and linoleate is readily recycled into newly synthesized lipids. This pathway consumes the majority of these fatty acids that is not beta-oxidized as a fuel. Docosahexaenoate undergoes less beta-oxidation and carbon recycling than do alpha-linolenate or linoleate, but is it still actively metabolized by this pathway? Among polyunsaturates, arachidonate appears to undergo the least beta-oxidation and carbon recycling, an observation that may help account for the resistance of brain membranes to loss of arachidonate during dietary deficiency of n-6 polyunsaturates. Preliminary evidence suggests that de novo lipid synthesis consumes carbon from alpha-linolenate and linoleate in preference to palmitate, but this merits systematic study. Active beta-oxidation and carbon recycling of 18-carbon polyunsaturates does not diminish the importance of being able to convert alpha-linolenate and linoleate to long-chain polyunsaturates but suggests that a broad perspective is required in studying the metabolism of polyunsaturates in general and alpha-linolenate and linoleate in particular.

Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 1995

Intravenous iron supplements are not routinely administered to very-low-birth-weight newborns rec... more Intravenous iron supplements are not routinely administered to very-low-birth-weight newborns receiving total parenteral nutrition because of the possible increased risk of infection and because iron needs may be met with blood transfusions. To assess the benefits of a prudent IV iron supplement (200 to 250 micrograms/kg/d), 26 very-low-birth-weight newborns (birth weight, 1005 +/- 302 g; gestational age, 28 +/- 2.3 weeks; mean +/- SD) were randomly allocated to receive total parenteral nutrition without iron (No-Iron) or with iron supplied as iron dextran (Iron). These newborns were followed at baseline (2 to 3 days after birth) and at weeks 1 to 4 thereafter. At each sampling time, urine samples, fecal samples (rarely), unused total parenteral nutrition solutions, blood products, and a blood sample (1 mL) were collected. There were no differences between the two groups in anthropometric measurements, hematologic or biochemical parameters, number or amount of blood transfusions (2.3 +/- 1.9), amount of blood removed for diagnostic purposes (44 +/- 16 mL), or number of septic events (n = 16). There was no difference between the groups for the total iron excreted; however, the Iron group retained more iron. Iron balance was negative for all but 10 newborns (No-Iron, 3; Iron, 7) throughout the study. A total iron intake of 400 micrograms/kg/d, half of which was provided by IV iron, is not sufficient to maintain iron balance or to meet fetal accretion rates (1000 micrograms/kg/d) in very-low-birth-weight newborns receiving total parenteral nutrition. Furthermore, endogenous iron from blood transfusions does not provide an adequate supply of iron.

The Journal of Lipid Research, 2003

Altered use of different dietary fatty acids may contribute to several chronic diseases, includin... more Altered use of different dietary fatty acids may contribute to several chronic diseases, including obesity, noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. However, few comparative data are available to support this link, so the goal of the present study was to compare the metabolism of [ 13 C]oleate, [ 13 C] ␣-linolenate, [ 13 C]elaidate, and [ 13 C]linoleate through oxidation and incorporation into plasma lipid fractions and adipose tissue. Each tracer was given as a single oral bolus to six healthy women. Samples were collected over 8 days, and 13 C was analyzed using isotope ratio mass spectrometry. At 9 h postdose, cumulative oxidation was similar for [ 13 C]elaidate, [ 13 C]oleate, and [ 13 C] ␣-linolenate (19 ؎ 1%, 20 ؎ 4%, and 19 ؎ 3% dose, respectively). Significantly lower oxidation of [ 13 C]linoleate (12 ؎ 4% dose; P Ͻ 0.05) was accompanied by its higher incorporation into plasma phospholipids and cholesteryl esters. Abdominal adipose tissue was enriched with [ 13 C] ␣-linolenate, [ 13 C]elaidate, or [ 13 C]linoleate within 6 h. The percentage linoleate in plasma phospholipids correlated positively with [ 13 C]linoleate and [ 13 C]elaidate oxidation, indicating a potential role of background diet. Conversion of [ 13 C]linoleate and [ 13 C] ␣-linolenate to longer chain polyunsaturates was a quantitatively minor route of utilization.-McCloy, U., M. A. Ryan, P. B. Pencharz, R. J. Ross, and S. C. Cunnane. A comparison of the metabolism of eighteen-carbon 13 C-unsaturated fatty acids in healthy women.

Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 1998

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Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2005

n northern countries, endogenous synthesis of vitamin D is thought to be limited to the months of... more n northern countries, endogenous synthesis of vitamin D is thought to be limited to the months of April through September. 1 During the winter months, dietary or supplemental vitamin D intake at values similar to the recommended intake of 200 IU/day (5 µg/day) is not enough to prevent vitamin D deficiency in young women. 2 Vitamin D deficiency is well documented among Canadian women 3-7 and young children 4,8-11 and has been reported at levels as high as 76% of women and 43% of children (3-24 months) in northern Manitoba 4 and 48.4%-88.6% of Aboriginal women and 15.1%-63.5% of non-Aboriginal women in the Inuvik zone of the former Northwest Territories. 3 Vitamin D dependent rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults are the most commonly reported features of deficiency. 12 We sought to determine whether maternal or infant vitamin D deficiency at birth is associated with BMC of Canadian infants.